Last week I attended the very last meeting of the Croham Ward Police Panel. The ward boundary changes for the May Local Elections means the end of the Croham Ward Panel and the creation of the new South Croydon Panel after May. The good news is the current police team will continue as the South Croydon team but we will lose some panel members who will join the Sanderstead Panel. In all the years I have attended the Croham Ward Panel the local police team have worked really hard to address the community’s concerns and fears. I am sure that will continue on the South Croydon Panel and thanks to everyone who has contributed over the years.

hMany residents have contacted me to express concerns to TFL proposed changes to bus routes 403 and 412. The changes propose to stop in Katherine Street and St Georges Walk rather than cross the town centre. For some residents it will be a longer walk to the town centre or to East Croydon Station. I have urged them to respond to the consultation

https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/buses/croydon-town-centre by January 13th

As Ward Councillors we will raise residents concerns through the consultation

Planning applications and the affect on the local community11/10/2018 13:47:00.......Posted by Michael Neal

The Labour controlled Croydon Council continue to tell us and the residents of Croydon that we need to build more homes which are affordable to local residents and their families.

We get the message, but at what cost?

At a recent planning meeting, applications to approve the demolition of 6 individual homes to make way for 48 high density flats across the South of the Borough will change the local character of the area forever, not to mention changes to the environment and to place further pressure on local Schools and Services.

Some may say that this is an inevitable change due to the increase in population around London and the UK as a whole, even if this is the case surely a better balance could be thought through which will reduce the impact on the local character of the area and the communities it serves. Better to build “like for like” rather than impose blocks of flats in areas where there are just houses and bungalows.

At present Labour is not listening to local concerns, residents are fair minded and can sense fair play. They do understand the need for extra homes to be built but don’t like it if their concerns are not heard and they are overlooked by the planning committee as is the case under this Labour administration.

Residents in South Croydon do not have this “not in my back yard” attitude but do care how the area should be preserved for future generations. Any new developments should be in keeping with the character of the area.

At present planning applications are being nodded through even when there are several objections. One resident told me after a planning meeting, “I had no faith that my concerns would be acted upon and I was proved right” it’s a “fait accompli”

In South Croydon Ward there have been major planning applications approved by the Committee, residents have to put up with the idea that a particular area will be intensified with a number of flats being built, in some cases around one or two particular properties with residents powerless to stop it.

One resident told me “I may as well sell my property to a developer and move out of the area” why does a resident have to resort to these types of statements?

Pre 2014 - during the Conservative time in office planning applications were at times refused and then approved (or not) on appeal. Better to move refusal when applications cannot be justified by the Committee and the local community.

At least the resident will have faith in the Committee to make decisions that reflect their views overall bearing in mind that some decisions may not go their way.

I realise that you cannot please everybody all the time. I only hope that the Labour Controlled Planning Committee start to realise that they are damaging the trust between residents and the Council.

The question is will they listen? Not on their past record they won’t.

Last week planning permission was granted for a new Free School on the former Greenbelt Coombe Rd Playing Fields. It will be an 8 form Secondary School of 1680 pupils by 2027 with a Sports specialism. The facilities for pupils are excellent and the facilities will be open to the community. Clearly it is very popular with local parents and many who live further away as the school is hugely oversubscribed. It provides quality school places for parents in our local area However while we welcome the school I represented local residents concerns at Planning Committee as such a large school on former Playing Fields will have considerable impact on residential amenities especially parking, noise and the proximity of the development to some properties in Melville Ave. The access road and bin stores are still a concern. The traffic and safety issues are still not resolved and as officers said works on these issues are still ongoing. Lots of conditions are in place to try to protect residents but the reality is only time will tell the full impact of this school. It is positive that the Head has engaged with residents to try and ease the problems of coaches blocking in residents and I hope that engagement will continue with residents.

Bin Problems Persist in South Croydon24/09/2018 09:49:00.......Posted by Maria Gatland

Complaints about the new bin service keep on coming. Missed collections, no bins, too many bins, fly tipped bins. The lack of response to residents is causing anger and concern. When will the Labour Administration get this right and give residents the service they want, pay for and deserve.

The Rail View PH on Selsdon Rd is a sorry sight. Despite warnings from residents and the ward councillors it is now a ruin. Stripped of the old roof slates it was stripped inside over two weekends with no demolition order under the noses of Croydon Council. Eventually the developer was ordered to cover the building but far too late. Recent storms have torn the tarpaulin to shreds again no action from Croydon Council.

No Planning Application has come forward. It is now a blot on the landscape and a real concern to local residents.

Two Music Festivals for Lloyd Park in 201925/08/2018 12:14:00.......Posted by Maria Gatland

Croydon Council has informed us that there will be two Music Festivals held in Lloyd Park in 2019. The Butterfly Effect Music Festival held last year was judged to be a success by the Council so another one will be held in July 2019.

Approached by another large organiser of Music Festivals the Council has agreed to a three day Grime/Afro/Latin Fusion Music Festival at the end of May 2019

These two festivals will be popular with lots of residents and music fans. However as Ward Councillors we are pressing for meaningful engagement and consultation with local residents who live in the roads in our ward facing the park. We know from other events that noise litter and especially parking are real concerns.

Local History Demolished on Selsdon Rd.25/08/2018 11:37:00.......Posted by Maria Gatland

Such a shame to see our local social history fall to the bulldozer.

Many of you will remember the pretty cottage behind the bus stop on Selsdon Rd on the corner of Carlton Rd. One of the oldest buildings dating mid 184Os in the area it was owned by Frederic Potter who had the brickfields that covered the local area. The coming of the Railway and the creation of the Oxted line changed the area once again. Elm Cottage was then used as the Station Masters House for the Selsdon Rd Station where Selsdon Rd Goods Yard now stands. There have been a number of Planning applications all refused under a Conservative Administration. However as Labour took control of the Council in 2014 an application for a block of flats has been granted and we lost our fight as Ward Councillors to save it as part of a development scheme.

Public Art in the shape of a train on the outside of a brick wall does not compensate for the loss of our local social history

Following on from the serious fire earlier on in the summer that destroyed much of the scarce heathland residents were dismayed to see more damage.

For some incomprehensible reason someone armed with a grinder cut out two railings and even dug up the concrete posts. This would have taken time and strength but sadly no one witnessed it. Not finished there the perpetrator tried to burn the railings. It was lucky there was not another serious fire. I reported to Council and Police. The Council have ordered replacements. Hopefully this will be repaired soon.

New Bin Collections18/08/2018 12:33:00.......Posted by Maria Gatland

The new bin collections to come into effect in September has certainly provoked reaction from numerous residents in many roads in South Croydon Ward. Our ward has many streets of Victorian cottages with tiny front gardens or none at all. Other streets are very steep with lots of steps leading up and down. The majority of residents already recycle and this one size fits all policy of the Labour Administration will cause problems for some residents. I was pleased however to meet with Cllr Collins in Kingsdown Ave where he has agreed the old system will be kept and residents appreciate that. The old system will be retained too in Whitmead Close following a visit from Cllr Collin where logistically the new vehicles will not work. However the bins in Whitmead Close delivered in error have still not been collected

First Steps for South Croydon Recreation Ground Friends Group03/07/2018 09:14:00.......Posted by Maria Gatland

Just before the Local Elections in May Jason, Michael and myself held a meeting at South Croydon Rec to see if there was community interest in setting up a Friends Group. There was genuine interest from local residents in improving their local open space and for more community involvement in their local park. Yesterday evening we held a meeting at St Gertrude’s Church Hall to support residents to set up a Friends Group. A big thank you to St Gertrude’s who let us use the hall for free for this community meeting. We explained the process the Council requires to set up the group and lots of information about the other Friends Group in Croydon. One resident stepped up to the challenge and will form the committee and begin the process of setting up the Friends Group. We will support the committee in every way we can and fund start up costs from the South Croydon Ward Budget. We wish them the best of luck with this exciting project.

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